Background and development

Rainbow Dash's cutie mark is often drawn backwards in relation to her appearance in the show due to an initial misconception caused by inaccurate merchandise; Heather Breckel, the colorist of the main series, stated that she continued drawing it that way for consistency to avoid confusion.[2]

The first issue's third, fourth, ninth, and sixteenth pages were displayed at the New York My Little Pony Project 2012.

Two characters appearing in the series are Octavia Melody and Jim, "a very specific character" named by Katie Cook, implicitly after Jim Miller.[3][4] Katie Cook and Andy Price hinted in September 2012 that Wild Fire may appear in the series.[3][5][6]

Format and story

The series so far consists of original stories set after the events of the second season of the show,[7] occurring before the final episode of the third season. As of issue #13, stories are set after Twilight's princess coronation.[8]

Sales and pre-sales

By October 11, 2012, issue #1 had sold 90,100 pre-order copies in North America, a higher figure than the contemporary Uncanny X-Men sales.[9][10] As of October 2013, the entire series has sold one million copies.[11]

"Welcome to Ponyville, home of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and all your other favorite Ponies! Something's not right in the town though, as some of the inhabitants are acting very, very strange! It's up to the Mane Six to find the source of the weirdness before it's too late!"

"Queen Chrysalis has returned! Our ponies have no time to horse around, as they set off to rescue their friends from Chrysalis kingdom. What magical adventures await them, and where the heck is Princess Celestia?"

"The Mane 6 enter the heart of the Changeling Kingdom to rescue their friends! Danger lurks everywhere, and each Pony will have to put their best hoof forward if they are to survive the night! Unfortunately that's exactly what the Changeling Queen expects! Will our heroes fall into her trap?"

"Their epic quest nearing its end, the Mane 6 reach the Changeling Kingdom and find themselves at the mercy of Queen Chrysalis! A sinister offer threatens to tear the group apart before they can save the day. Will friendship prevail over the Queen's nefarious plan?"

"Attention, everypony! Get ready for another unforgettable adventure in the land of Equestria. Twilight Sparkle and gang are confronted with a perilous new danger in the form of a long-unseen enemy! See how the Magic of Friendship prevails in the start of a brand new story arc!"

"Nightmare Moon returns! But it's not the same old Nightmare Moon! Someone new, someone close to our heroes, has taken the mantle! What will the Ponies do when the danger hits so close to home? Read it and find out!"

"The new Nightmare Moon has revealed herself... and captured our stunned Ponies! With time running short for Equestria before a full-scale invasion, the only hope lies with... Spike?! And what role will Princess Luna play?"

"The awesome ending to My Little Pony's epic 2nd story arc! The Nightmare forces of the moon descend down on Ponyville! Princess Celestia will try her best to stop the dark forces, but she may be overwhelmed! It'll be up to our favorite ponies to stop the new Nightmare Moon!"

"The citizens of Ponyville take center stage as an ordinary morning for Big McIntosh quickly turns into an unexpected adventure! Filled with tons of colorful characters and side stories, this issue will put Big McIntosh’s typical bashfulness to the test!"

"The trials and tribulations of Big Mac continue! His epic journey continues, as Big Mac must come face to face with some of the most unique citizens of Ponyville. DRAMA! REVELATIONS! DANCING! This one’s got it all!"

"Love is in the air as Katie Cook and Andy Price reveal the secret history of Shining Armor and Princess Cadence[sic]'s love! Before they were royalty, they were two teenagers who had no idea how to talk to each other! Find out how the romance started right here!"

"The courting of Princess Cadence[sic] continues, as Shining Armor must find a way to win her hoof. But with the school dance quickly approaching, Shining Armor will have to call upon some familiar faces to catch the eye of his one true love."

"The ponies hit the high seas! A trip to Horeshoe[sic] Bay takes a turn for the dramatic when our gang is captured by Hoofbeard the Pirate! Will the ponies help him find his long lost treasure, or will they be walking the plank?"

"Swashbuckling and mutiny abound! From a mysterious map to a moody captain, our heroes sure have their hoofs full! The ponies are hot on the trail of Hoofbeard's long lost treasure - but can they stand him long enough to find it? Find out in this action-packed issue of My Little Pony!"

"Things are getting positively bookish in Ponyville! When a magical bookworm starts to cause some literary mischief, it's only a matter of time before things start to get out of hoof! It's up to our ponies to set things right... but will they want to when Daring Do shows up?"

"The literary madness continues as the Bookworm burrows deeper into everypony's favorite books! As more stories come to life, the only chance our ponies will have to save the day is to write their own version of the tale! Can their collaboration get on the same page? Read on!"

"'Reflections' part 1. The start of this epic four-part story will see the ponies travel to a new world in desperate need of aid... that is, if they can discover the secret spells of Starswirl the Bearded! Secret traps and magical danger are only the first steps on the ponies greatest adventure yet!"

"'Reflections' Part 2. As long kept Canterlot secrets are revealed, the Ponies find a way into a new world. A world where things are very different, yet also very much the same! What role does King Sombra play in this world? The fate of both Equestria and the new world may depend on him!"

"As our favorite ponies traverse a strange new world, the secret history of Celestia comes to life! Will the choices she made years ago come back to haunt her and doom an entire world? And which surprising pony is at the heart of her choice?"

"The climactic conclusion to 'Reflections' is here! The fate of two Equestrias hangs in the balance as our ponies scramble to help their new allies. It will take an unexpected sacrifice to save day[sic]... but from whom?"

"Some of our favorite Ponyville residents, including Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy, visit Manehattan to see Trixie's biggest magic trick yet: making the famous Ostlerheimer Diamond disappear! Only one thing goes wrong: the diamond disappears for real! All hoofs point to Trixie as the culprit, but not everything is as it seems in this magical Manehattan mystery!"

"A special one-shot issue featuring the ponies' pets! When some new trouble comes into Ponyville, all of our normal heroes are incapacitated. Luckily help is on the way in the form of Angel, Owlicious[sic], Gummy, Tank, Winona and Opal! Will they be able to use teamwork to save the day?"

"Discord knows Fluttershy loves animals, so decides to take her and the Cutie Mark Crusaders on a trip through time so they can see some of the amazing animals of Equestria's past! Unfortunately, some of them aren't so friendly. And Discord CAN remember how to get back home... right?"

"A new plot of land has been bequeathed to the Apple family and they, along with the rest of our favorite ponies, go to investigate the land's worth! Unfortunately the land has been taken over by Cattle Rustlers who think there's treasure hidden somewhere on it! It's an epic Western-pony-style!"

"Timberwolves invade Ponyville! They're just the start of the troubles for our ponies though as many other mystical creatures emerge from Everfree Forest. What could be causing the mass migration and how can the balance of nature be restored?"

"'The Root of the Problem' Part 2! Twilight and friends journey to the heart of Everfree Forest to find out what has been causing its inhabitants to flee. What they find can only mean trouble for Ponyville!"

"Cherilee[sic] gets a visit from her sister who happens to be one of the most famous wrestlers in Equestria! A long-simmering grudge between the siblings threatens to explode unless Rarity and friends can figure out a way for the two to mend hurt feelings."

"'Siege of the Crystal Empire' Part 1! A enigmatic new foe brings together some of the most villainous characters in Equestria to attack the Crystal Empire! What is their true aim and will our ponies be able to save the day?"

"'Siege of the Crystal Empire,' Part 2! The mystery antagonist reveals the next stage in a diabolical scheme! Will our ponies be able to uncover what role Sombra is meant to play before it's too late?"

"'Siege of the Crystal Empire' Part 3! A nefarious foe returns to full power to reclaim that which is rightfully his! Ancient mysteries will be revealed as Twilight and Cadance seek a way to stop the darkness from spreading! An epic story for the ages unfolds!"

"'Siege of the Crystal Empire' Part 4! The epic Pony storyline of 2015 comes to a close! Multiple characters must make crucial decisions that will have an impact on the Crystal Empire—and Equestria—forever!"

"'Don't You Forget About Us' part 1! The Cutiemark[sic] Crusaders hit the great outdoors with their class! When a small group becomes stranded in the wilderness it will take ingenuity and teamwork to make it back to safety!"

"The untold first meeting of Twilight and baby Spike! Twilight is given her most difficult task yet by Princess Celestia when she is told to take care of a baby dragon who is quite a handful! Will Twilight learn the right lesson in caring for another?"

"'Ponies of Dark Water Part 1' The Ponies go on an adventure to a newly erupted geyser. After some fun playing in the water, the ponies begin to act a bit strange, perhaps even… sinister? What happens when good ponies turn bad?"

"'Ponies of Dark Water Part 2' Our favorite ponies have gone bad and are loving every minute of it! When Twilight seeks to conquer Equestria for herself, the Cutie Mark Crusaders may be the only hope for salvation!"

"'Ponies of Dark Water Part 3' Chaos reigns over Ponyville as normal ponies across town turn evil! It’ll be up to Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, with the help of an unexpected ally, to save the day!"

"Election Part 2 The election race between Filthy Rich and Mayor Mare is closer than expected! With disagreements between friends growing, will the town find a way to unify and chose the right candidate?"

"'Chaos Theory,' Part 2 (of 3). With Accord's powers affecting the ponies of Equestria, Twilight and company will have to resort to unorthodox measures to get Discord back to normal! Well, normal for Discord!"

"'Wings Over Yakyakistan' part 1 of 2. While on a diplomatic mission to Yakyakistan, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are surprised to uncover an imminent attack on the kingdom by dragons! Will Dash be able to rouse the Wonderbolts to aid the Yaks in time to thwart the invasion?"

"Following the notes of Mage Meadowbrook, Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle search for an elusive flower that could possibly cure any ailment! But as the search turns into an obsession, Twilight risks losing the flower forever!"

"Representatives of ponies, griffons, buffalos, changelings, dragons and more meet to discuss the future of the land! But what happens when a sudden discovery threatens to redraw the map of Equestria?"

"Twilight and friends are surprised to learn that a film is being made about them! When the story turns out to be less than accurate, the group decides to make their own film! But will they be able to agree on the same artistic vision?"

"'Tempest's Tale,' Part 1 of 2. Tempest, a former foe, is exploring Equestria to learn more about love and friendship. Her travels take her to the Crystal Empire where she will come face-to-face with the pony who set her down a path to villainy! Will she come to grips with her past or return to treacherous ways?"

"Twilight's new students experience Nightmare Night in Ponyville for the first time! Big scares are in store, but things start to get downright dangerous when they wander into a very haunted Castle of the Two Sisters!"

"Applejack looks to recreate a famous pie recipe that has been lost to her family for ages! The quest will reveal family secrets and some very unusual ingredients! A heartwarming tale of coming together over food and family!"

"Nerves abound when Zephyr Breeze signs up for the All-Equestria Mane Styling Conference! Will he be able to prove to others—and to himself—that he belongs in the styling biz? Or will his fear of failure get the better of him?"

"My Little Pony celebrates 75 issues of friendship and fun with this double-sized adventure! When a chance purchase leads to a legendary quest for a missing constellation, the ponies reach for the stars and find themselves in the path of their most galactic villain yet... the chaotic Cosmos!"

"The search for the missing stars of the Andalusian constellation continues! With Pinkie Pie, Big Mac, Zecora, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders on the case, this expedition's in the bag! ...Right?! Things aren't always what they seem in this thrilling new adventure featuring your favorite ponies and Equestria's biggest villain yet—Cosmos!"

"With stars aligning, villains escaping, and princesses out of commission, can Equestria's favorite ponies find a way to defeat Cosmos-before it's too late?! Cosmos is freed, and it's going to take a little bit of magic-and a lot of friendship-to stop her!"

"The thrilling conclusion to the "Cosmos" story arc is here! With the most powerful ponies in Equestria under Cosmos' control, do the remaining ponies stand a chance? And whose side will Discord take? Don't miss the end of what might be Katie Cook and Andy Price's finest MLP story yet!"

"It's the anniversary of the founding of Ponyville-which means it's time for a celebration! With a surprise show in store for Mayor Mare, it's up to Twilight and Apple Bloom to keep the festivities a secret... but that might be hard in a town like Ponyville, where you never know who might show up!"

"Get ready to roll a natural 20 as Pinkie Pie and the rest of your favorite ponies gear up for a live-action role playing game for the ages! With elaborate costumes, captured princes, and one of Pinkie's famous pies on the line, you can bet things are going to get crazy!"

"It's Foals and Friends Weekend at the Wonderbolts Academy, but after an accident during practice, Rumble finds himself grounded. Good thing General Dauntless is there with a story or two to tell! Including one about the only Earth pony who has ever been a member of the Wonderbolts..."

"A dust-up in Ponyville plus an escaped Cerberus equals quite the ruckus for our favorite fillies! When Princess Celestia requests a dog sitter for the high-spirited canine, the task falls to the least-likely of ponies: Rarity! It's going to take some dog-dog-dogged determination, a bit of hard work, and a whole lot of patience to figure this whole dog thing out... but it's sure to be a pawsitively wild adventure!"[12]

"Twilight Sparkle receives a mysterious message about a missing turtle! Only it's not just any turtle-it's the most famed of racing turtles, Silver Blaze! With friendship on the line, it's up to Twilight and Spike (armed with deerstalker caps and capes) to solve the mystery before it's too late! Elementary, my dear fillies! It's a brand-new Pony mystery to solve! Get ready to solve a mystery-Sherlock Holmes-style!"[13]

"It's exam time at the School of Friendship, and Ocellus has come up with an idea for a stellar project that's sure to impress all her teachers-a history of Equestria shown through her own unique Changeling abilities! But as deadlines loom and Ocellus finds herself taking on a bit more than she can handle, it's up to Twilight Sparkle to help her young student realize that sometimes, perfection is overrated."[14]